Years ago QST had an article on calibrating and using a toaster oven and a multi-meter with a k-type probe for reflow soldering. I have been using that successfully for years, for about $35.
73, Byron N6NUL On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 5:16 PM Gwen Patton <[email protected]> wrote: > > I was a backer for the ReflowR computer controlled SMD hot plate a few > years ago. I had to cough up a little extra for shipping because the > creator munged up his figures and didn't leave enough for shipping, and was > selling the things on Tindie to build up cash to send units to his backers > -- which caused people to get really cheesed off at him. I did get my > ReflowR, however, one with built in Wi-Fi for control with an app, or it > has a bunch of preconfigured profiles in it for most reflow jobs. This was > before ovens like the one you got were available so cheap, so there's only > a LITTLE buyer's remorse. > > It DOES work pretty well, though. Combined with my I-Extruder pen for > applying solder paste, it makes SMD work much easier. The I-Extruder can be > used as a vacuum pick-and-place tool as well, or for applying flux in > controlled amounts. Since I don't work a lot with SMD yet, I use it for > applying Amtech Tacky Flux (Thank you, Louis Rossmann!) to my thru-hole > components for good soldering with much less flux application mess. > > I also have one of those cheap Chinese WEP hot air reflow stations. Cost me > $60 on Amazon, and it works like a champ. I use it primarily for > heat-shrink, though. Used with that marine-grade heat shrink that's lined > with hot glue, it's a total wizard's tool. > > 73, > Gwen, NG3P > > On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 7:01 PM Mark Goldberg <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > I have a well used hot air gun (OK Industries SMT-1160) but I use my Metcal > > iron and hot tweezers a lot more. They have an infinite selection of tips > > for almost anything. They are expensive though, even used. > > > > For us old farts with unsteady hands and bad eyes, a vacuum pickup, lots of > > tweezers and a binocular microscope are a huge help. A flux bottle with a > > dispensing needle tip and a bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol are musts too. I > > have some tiny solder, solder wick and solder paste for my reflow oven. The > > reflow oven is the bees knees if you are building a lot. > > > > Youth and delicate hands also helps, I have neither but I get by. > > > > Look at my qrz.com page for my setup and links to more info. > > > > 73, > > > > Mark > > W7MLG > > > > > > On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 12:33 PM Dauer, Edward <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I am thinking about trying my hand at building a kit with a bunch of > > > SMDs. I don’t yet know the gauge. Any suggestions about the brand or > > type > > > of hot air soldering gun I should buy? Any other tools I’ll need, like > > > narrow-gauge solder, wicks, whatever? > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > Ted, KN1CBR > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > > > Elecraft mailing list > > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > Message delivered to [email protected] > > ______________________________________________________________ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > Message delivered to [email protected] > > > > -- > > -+-+-+-+- > Jenny Everywhere's Infinite: Quark Time > http://quarktime.net > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [email protected] -- - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the Cal QSO Party 3-4 Oct 2020 - www.cqp.org ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
